Soli-enabled noncontact heart rate detection for sleep and meditation tracking.

Heart rate (HR) is a crucial physiological signal that can be used to monitor health and fitness. Traditional methods for measuring HR require wearable devices, which can be inconvenient or uncomfortable, especially during sleep and meditation. Noncontact HR detection methods employing microwave radar can be a promising alternative. However, the existing approaches in the literature usually use high-gain antennas and require the sensor to face the user's chest or back, making them difficult to integrate into a portable device and unsuitable for sleep and meditation tracking applications. This study presents a novel approach for noncontact HR detection using a miniaturized Soli radar chip embedded in a portable device (Google Nest Hub). The chip has a [Formula: see text] dimension and can be easily integrated into various devices. The proposed approach utilizes advanced signal processing and machine learning techniques to extract HRs from radar signals. The approach is validated on a sleep dataset (62 users, 498 h) and a meditation dataset (114 users, 1131 min). The approach achieves a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.69 bpm and a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of [Formula: see text] on the sleep dataset. On the meditation dataset, the approach achieves an MAE of 1.05 bpm and a MAPE of [Formula: see text]. The recall rates for the two datasets are [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively. This study represents the first application of the noncontact HR detection technology to sleep and meditation tracking, offering a promising alternative to wearable devices for HR monitoring during sleep and meditation.

Quantifying neurologic disease using biosensor measurements in-clinic and in free-living settings in multiple sclerosis.

Technological advances in passive digital phenotyping present the opportunity to quantify neurological diseases using new approaches that may complement clinical assessments. Here, we studied multiple sclerosis (MS) as a model neurological disease for investigating physiometric and environmental signals. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility and correlation of wearable biosensors with traditional clinical measures of disability both in clinic and in free-living in MS patients. This is a single site observational cohort study conducted at an academic neurological center specializing in MS. A cohort of 25 MS patients with varying disability scores were recruited. Patients were monitored in clinic while wearing biosensors at nine body locations at three separate visits. Biosensor-derived features including aspects of gait (stance time, turn angle, mean turn velocity) and balance were collected, along with standardized disability scores assessed by a neurologist. Participants also wore up to three sensors on the wrist, ankle, and sternum for 8 weeks as they went about their daily lives. The primary outcomes were feasibility, adherence, as well as correlation of biosensor-derived metrics with traditional neurologist-assessed clinical measures of disability. We used machine-learning algorithms to extract multiple features of motion and dexterity and correlated these measures with more traditional measures of neurological disability, including the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and the MS functional composite-4 (MSFC-4). In free-living, sleep measures were additionally collected. Twenty-three subjects completed the first two of three in-clinic study visits and the 8-week free-living biosensor period. Several biosensor-derived features significantly correlated with EDSS and MSFC-4 scores derived at visit two, including mobility stance time with MSFC-4 z-score (Spearman correlation -0.546; p = 0.0070), several aspects of turning including turn angle (0.437; p = 0.0372), and maximum angular velocity (0.653; p = 0.0007). Similar correlations were observed at subsequent clinic visits, and in the free-living setting. We also found other passively collected signals, including measures of sleep, that correlated with disease severity. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of applying passive biosensor measurement techniques to monitor disability in MS patients both in clinic and in the free-living setting.

Clinical Tremor Severity Estimation Using an Instrumented Eating Utensil.

We demonstrate the feasibility of estimating clinical tremor scores using an eating utensil with motion-sensing and tremor-cancellation technology in thirteen patients with tremor. Three experts scored hand tremor using the modified Fahn- Tolosa-Marin (FTM) scale. A linear model was trained to estimate tremor severity using the recorded motion signals. The average neurologist FTM score was 1.6±0.7 for PD and 2.6±0.7 for ET patients. The average model score was 1.6±0.7 for PD and 2.6±0.6 for ET. Correlation coefficient between the clinical and model tremor scores was 0.91 (p < 0.001). Motion data from an instrumented eating utensil accurately derived tremor ratings enabling practical, objective daily monitoring.

A noninvasive handheld assistive device to accommodate essential tremor: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: We explored whether a noninvasive handheld device using Active Cancellation of Tremor (ACT) technology could stabilize tremor-induced motion of a spoon in individuals with essential tremor (ET). METHODS: Fifteen ET subjects (9 men, 6 women) performed 3 tasks with the ACT device turned on and off. Tremor severity was rated with the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale (TRS). Subjective improvement was rated by subjects with the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI-S). Tremor amplitude was measured using device-embedded accelerometers in 11 subjects. RESULTS: TRS scores improved with ACT on (versus off) in all 3 tasks: holding (1.00 ± 0.76 vs. 0.27 ± 0.70; P = 0.016), eating (1.47 ± 1.06 vs. 0.13 ± 0.64; P = 0.001), and transferring (1.33 ± 0.82 vs. 0.27 ± 0.59; P = 0.001). CGI-S improved with eating and transferring, but not the holding task. Accelerometer measurements demonstrated 71% to 76% reduction in tremor with the ACT device on. CONCLUSIONS: This noninvasive handheld ACT device can reduce tremor amplitude and severity for eating and transferring tasks in individuals with ET.

Simultaneous estimation of etoricoxib and thiocolchicoside by RP-HPLC method in combined dosage forms.

A simple, reproducible and efficient reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for simultaneous estimation of etoricoxib and thiocolchicoside in combined tablet dosage form. Formulation containing etoricoxib and thiocolchicoside is used as analgesic. Chromatography was performed on a 250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5-microm particle size, BDS Hypersil C-18 column with trifluoroacetic acid buffer (pH 2.6) and acetonitrile (75:25, v/v) as a mobile phase. The detection of the combined dosage form was carried out at 220 nm and a flow rate employed was 1.5 mL/min. The retention times were 6.6 and 3.1 min for etoricoxib and thiocolchicoside, respectively. Linearity was obtained in the concentration range 20 to 160 ppm for etoricoxib and in the range 2 to 16 ppm for thiocolchicoside with a correlation coefficient of 0.9918 and 0.9994, respectively. The results of the analysis were validated statistically and recovery studies confirmed the accuracy and precision of the proposed method.

CNS activity of Calotropis gigantea roots.

Alcoholic extract of peeled roots of Calotropis gigantea R.Br. (Asclepiadaceae) was tested orally in albino rats at the dose level of 250 and 500 mg/kg bodyweight for CNS activity. Prominent analgesic activity was observed in Eddy's hot plate method and acetic acid induced writhings. The paw licking time was delayed and the numbers of writhings were greatly reduced. Significant anticonvulsant activity was seen as there was a delay in the onset of pentylenetetrazole induced convulsions as well as decrease in its severity. The extract treated rats spent more time in the open arm of EPM showing its antianxiety activity. There was a decrease in the locomotor activity. The fall off time (motor coordination) was also decreased. A potentiation in the pentobarbitone-induced sleep due to the sedative effect of the extract was observed. No mortality was seen upto the dose of 1 g/kg. These results show the analgesic, anticonvulsant, anxiolytic and sedative effect of the extract.